Minnesota netminder backstops Wild’s 3-1 win against Arizona

ST. PAUL — The Wild’s goaltending angst has been alleviated, at least for the moment, by the large frame of Devan Dubnbyk.

Dubnyk, a 6-foot-6 journeyman intent on resurrecting a career that last spring appeared in jeopardy, posted his second consecutive win as the Wild defeated the Arizona Coyotes 3-1 in the finale of Hockey Day Minnesota in front of 19,111 Saturday at the Xcel Energy Center.

The Wild, intent on resurrecting a season that several days ago appeared headed for the trash bin, got their 20th victory in their 44th game and demonstrated that things have changed.

The Coyotes, outshot 28-15 through two periods, pushed back hard over the final 20 minutes, outshooting the home team 11-5, but Zach Parise’s empty-net goal in the last minute clinched Minnesota’s win.

Asked if the Wild would have won this game in the midst of their recent trudge through 12 losses in 14 games, coach Mike Yeo was able to smile.

“We don’t, for sure,” he said. “That’s a good sign.”

Back then, no one seemed to have an answer for what ailed this team.

Finally, general manager Chuck Fletcher sent a third-round 2015 draft pick to the Coyotes for Dubnyk, a 28-year-old from Regina, Saskatchewan, who found himself playing in the American Hockey League at the end of last season.

Dubnyk was untested in a 7-0 victory over the Sabres in Buffalo Thursday night, and for much of the first two periods Saturday he was well protected and in control as the Wild led 2-1 on goals by Jason Zucker and Charlie Coyle.

“Our first half of the game was fantastic,” Yeo said.

The second half?

Not so much.

But Dubnyk gobbled up loose pucks or guided them to his defenders with ease, a performance that was rewarded by a huge ovation from the overflow crowd after the final horn.

“It was a special moment for me that I won’t forget any time soon,” he said.

His play has snuffed out a stretch of ineffective Wild goaltending and it has been noticed.

Coyle, for example, said the guys are able to relax a bit because “we know we’ve got him behind us.”

“The two games he’s played,” Yeo said, “have instilled confidence in everybody. He plays with a lot of composure back there.”

Yeo said the subtle plays made by Dubnyk buy time for Minnesota’s defenders when there’s a flurry in the Wild zone.

“He’s playing great,” Wild defenseman Marco Scandella said. “He makes the first save; he’s a big guy with a big presence, and he moves the puck well for us, too. He’s been huge for us.”

Dubnyk, who is staying at the same St. Paul hotel that was housing his ex-teammates Saturday, used his experience of playing for Arizona against his former Edmonton team earlier this season to comfort him as he faced the Coyotes. He tried to ignore the uniform he wore only last week.

“Just concentrate on the game,” he explained.

Having played 19 games for Arizona this season, Dubnyk was unsurprised by the Coyotes’ third-period push. “But it’s how you handle those pushes,” he said, “and we did an incredible job.”

Dubnyk — he recorded an assist on Zucker’s goal — referred to Minnesota’s play since he joined the team as “120 minutes of pretty impressive hockey.”

Compared to the team’s play before his arrival, it was. Coyle got things started with a first-period goal, and Zucker outraced the Arizona defense to create a breakaway goal in the second.

Minnesota won for the sixth consecutive year on Hockey Day Minnesota and held on through some tense final moments to send its fans home content.

“A really good Hockey Day,” Yeo said, noting that this victory turned out to be not only a growing experience for the Wild, but a pleasurable one.

“It’s easier to learn lessons in wins than in losses,” he said, “and we need to learn a couple tonight for sure.”

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Minnesota-Duluth falls to Western Michigan 4-2

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Power play plagues the Bulldogs in 4-2 loss to Western Michigan

DULUTH — The University of Western Michigan spoiled Hockey Day Minnesota celebrations for the University of Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs, who surrendered two power play goals en route to a 4-2 loss.

In front of 6,873 fans at Amsoil Arena, UMD’s special teams struggles were exacerbated by a combined eleven penalties.

Without their top scorer, Dominic Toninato, who was suspended for a knee-on-knee hit in Friday’s 2-2 draw, the Bulldogs struggled to get pucks to the net on the power play, tallying only four shots on four opportunities.

“I thought there was some good in both nights, but not enough good for 60 minutes,” Justin Crandall said, assistant captain and Lakeville, MN native.

The senior earned an assist on Tony Cameransi’s gritty third period goal that tied the game at two, but Western Michigan quickly responded with Colton Hartgrove’s second goal of the game, which also served as the game winner.

“We need some more of that,” Crandall said. “Guys [going] to the net scoring some ugly ones.”

In the back and forth contest, physical play kept both teams from getting quality scoring chances.

“You’re not going to get great chances against this team, that’s just how they play,” head coach Scott Sandelin said. “But when you get them, you gotta bear down and we didn’t do that. You have to get your nose in there, and you have to get into the tough areas. We gotta get back to that.”

The Broncos size and physicality kept UMD’s deep lineup from sustaining offensive pressure for much of the game. And when they faltered, goaltender Lukas Hafner stepped up, stopping 25 of 27 shots.

“I thought their goalie was good tonight,” Sandelin said. “[With] this team you have to earn it, and get goals like [Cameranesi] did, where it barely goes over the goal line. We knew it was going to be difficult, they make it difficult on every team.”

Across the ice, UMD freshman goaltender Kazamir Kaskisuo stopped 23 shots, including 14 in the opening period — nine of which came on the power play.

The Bulldogs struggled to execute offensively against Western Michigan, failing to convert on the few opportunities they were given.

“That’s been our biggest downfall the last couple games, we’re getting quality chances but we’re not scoring,” said Crandall.

Helped by the newly formed NCHC, and several similarly physical games, there appears to be a blooming rivalry between the two teams.

“Every weekend with these guys is [a] battle,” said Crandall. “It kind of seems like we take it to them at their rink, and they kind of give it to us at our place, so we’re excited to get a little crack at them at the end of the year.”

Despite the conference loss, the Bulldogs maintain second place in the NCHC and travel to St. Paul, MN next week to face Bemidji State in the North Star College Cup at the Excel Energy Center.

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Pioneers down Cadets for second time in HDM history with 3-2 overtime win

ST. PAUL —Facing off against Classic Suburban conference rival St. Thomas Academy, Hill-Murray had the opportunity to put on a show on Hockey Day Minnesota 2015 for the 4,000 people in the stands and those watching on TV.

And the Pioneers did just that.

The No. 3 Pioneers defeated the No. 4 Cadets for the second time in Hockey Day Minnesota history — both in overtime no less — with a 3-2 victory at Holman Field in St. Paul. Hill-Murray improved to 12-5 while St. Thomas Academy fell to 14-2.

Hill-Murray head coach Bill Lechner was pleased by how his team performed on such a stage.

“People can keep Hill-Murray on the map,” Lechner said. “I’ll say this and I mean it very respectively: it is legal marketing. If we do well and play the right way and kids come here and play the right way, people say ‘I’d like to be apart of that.’”

One player who marketed the Pioneer way best was senior forward Jake Wittl. Not a big name or usually the star of his team, Wittl stole the show against the Cadets.

With the score tied at the end of regulation, the Cadets and Pioneers headed to a two-half overtime because of wind potentially giving an unfair advantage to the team on the one end. Neither team scored in the first half, but that changed 30 seconds into the second half of the eight minute overtime. Wittl put the puck five-hole on St. Thomas Academy goaltender Matt Snow, taking home the win.

“We knew the boards were kind of shaky and bouncy so we just dumped it in, forechecked hard, turned around, shot it, and the puck went in,” Wittl said.

After a defensive battle in the first period with no goals scored, Wittl passed his teammate Luke Ranallo the puck and Ranallo buried the puck in the Cadet net just over a minute into the second period.

A scoreless first period may be a result of playing outdoor hockey where it isn’t quite the same game as playing indoors.

“It’s an adjustment,” Lechner said of playing outdoors. “I really believe that you keep the game simpler. You didn’t see a whole lot of tic-tac-toe. We’re a team on good ice at Aldrich [Arena] that we want to move the puck four to five times where everybody has three assists, but not today. You can’t do that so you’d rather simplify the game.”

Just a few minutes following the Pioneers’ first tally, St. Paul Academy tied the game at one with a goal from senior forward Christiano Versich just inside the pipe. The third period saw both St. Thomas Academy and Hill-Murray add a goal to remain tied, 2-2, through regulation as Pioneer Dylan Mills and Cadet Alec Broetzman scored.

Ultimately, the Pioneers were able to finish off their victory over the Cadets with Wittl’s overtime goal, which is a step in the right direction both in the regular season and potentially the postseason for Hill-Murray.

“Arguably, we’re all in the top five in the state,” Lechner said. “You’ve got the Lakeville Norths, the Edinas, [St. Thomas Academy], us, and the Wayzatas. So, we’ve got to keep battling because we want to be ready for sections.”

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Late goal gives St. Paul Johnson dramatic 6-5 Hockey Day Minnesota win over Luverne

ST. PAUL — In its 101st year, as one of the most storied programs in state history, the St. Paul Johnson hockey program has appeared in three Hockey Day Minnesota match ups. But the Governors’ 2015 Hockey Day Minnesota victory may be their best yet.

The Governors outlasted the Luverne Cardinals, 6-5, with a game winning goal in the final minute at Holman Field Saturday morning for the first Hockey Day Minnesota matchup of the day. St. Paul Johnson improved to 11-5-1 while Luverne suffered just it’s third loss on the season, moving to 16-3.

SPJ head coach Moose Younghans has coached in all three of Johnson’s Hockey Day Minnesota appearances, but the combination of the victory and experience at Holman Field will make Saturday morning one to remember for the bench boss.

“They’re all huge, but probably this one [ranks the highest on our list] especially because of this setting with all the military stuff and the beautiful venue,” Younghans said. “We can go to Payne Avenue, Arcade [Avenue] tonight since people are going to be smiling down their tonight.”

Freshman defenseman Karl Fish played a key role in making the game against Luverne one to remember, scoring the deciding goal from the point in the final minute. While he halted Luverne’s hopes of coming from behind, Fish also accomplished a personal aspiration with the game-winner.

“I always dreamed about it and when they said we were going to play on Hockey Day, I thought it might come true, and here it is,” Fish said.

After a scoreless first period with strong defense from both teams, there was no shortage of offense in the second.

Luverne started off the scoring run with a goal 15 seconds into the period. But, before the Cardinals could finish celebrating their goal, the Governors tied the score 13 seconds later. And 1:02 into the second period, St. Paul Johnson extended its lead to 2-1.

The Governors continued their run with a top-shelf goal from Fish and a power play goal with 6:05 left in the first period, the Governers looked to be running away with the game before the second period was over.

But the Cardinals weren’t about to call it a game.

Luverne scored a power play goal of its own shortly after, off the stick of sophomore forward Nick Behrend. With two more goals before the end of the period, the Cardinals were right back in the game down 5-4.

“We played pretty bad the first half [of the second],” Luverne head coach Derrick Brown said.  “I think the guys just kind of loosened up a little bit — I think it got a little ragged on both sides — and after the second period everybody said let’s get back playing the way we’re supposed to play. It was a good battle.”

The Cardinals held the momentum going into the second intermission. Yet Younghans and his team weren’t about to lose their composure.

“We said ‘hey we’re OK, we’ve got the lead.’” Younghans said.

Luverne tied the score up with 4:04 left in the third. But Fish’s goal in the final minute ultimately gave the Governors a victory they can build off of.

“We’re going to use this as a springboard and we want to contend for the section, and maybe someday get back downtown again,” Younghans said. “Who knows, this could be that special magic here for us.”

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